I do not understand. What did I do wrong as a mother, as a caretaker. The last thing I wanted Jada to do is follow in my foot steps. I remember when I first met DeAndre. I was 17 years old, he was 19 at the time. And we were walking down the street and he said “Imma make you my girl forever.” Me being  young and in total bliss believed him. A year later I got pregnant with my son Keshawn. I remember when I first told DeAndre, I was scared because I did not know how he would react. It was life changing. It was no longer us out anymore, it was us and the baby. I knew DeAndre was “selling” but thats how we made ends meet.

JADA ! JADA ! I know you hear me talking to you. Get ya ass down stairs.  What the hell is this . . .  a pregnancy test?!

Is this yours because I’m surely not popping out no baby ?

Are you pregnant Jada ? …

When did you take this? How long ago?

Well I’m waiting, you know what don’t answer. Take ya ass up the steps.

Another mouth to feed. Who the hell she think she is trying to bring life into the world.  Me & DeAndre were young and dumb back then. With Keshawn selling like his father, he’ll end up just like him. In jail or in  hearse.

[ Yells Jada’s Name ]

Come down here now we need to have a talk.

When did you miss you last period?

Two months ago ?!

You mean to tell me you are 2 months pregnant. When did you think you were going to tell me, before or after the baby was born. You know what I’m done yelling, explain how you got pregnant.

Well what is his name? And I do not want no damn nickname I want his government name. Oh Jordan huh, Jordan who ? Jordan Nelson? And who is he, and what is his occupation and who is his mother? He’s a senior and he traps. Dammit Jada I am  trying to get your brother to get out of that trap life and you trying to bring a child in it. I want you to do better than I did.

Why did I not notice all the signs. Her eating habits were crazy, one minute hot cheetos, then seafood and after that some icecream. I thought it was her on her grow spurt. The constant wanting to sleep the days and nights away. I knew that day when I got a call from school the nurse said she had “morning sickness”. I was in denial, in denial to the fact that my only daughter is a now a statistic like her mother. I wanted her to be better than me.   

I did not know she was even sexually active yet, she only 15. She should be focusing on those two D’s she has in English and World History. Always worried about someone else. “ Oh mom, can I this”, “Oh mom, can I that “, “Can I get this “, “can I have that.” All I hear is can I, can I , can I . Where is her appreciation, it was not easy raising two kids when I was 19. I was a baby having a baby and now she is too.

Jada have you decided on what you are going to do with this baby ? I will let you keep it on the conduction that you graduate school. I will take care of the baby while you are at school. But when you come home you will have to face reality. You are not in this on your own, but you will be responsible for your share in work. For this is a life lesson for you as well as others.

“Why did he go? Usually when he throws you, Ball, he wants me to bring you back to him. Why did he go? Why did he go? Is he coming back? I know! He must have forgotten... I’ll go after him... and find him. I mean it must just be a big mistake, he wouldn’t just leave me here. Right. Right? Ok I will just try to find him. I will just walk down the road and, oh a car! It’s not his car... I will walk down the road in the direction he went. I should have ran after him right away instead of waiting for an hour because I didn’t understand what was happening. It’s okay though, I can still find him. Why am I still carrying you anyway? There is no point to carry you!

You are just weighing me down I am going to drop you. Good bye. (Now talking to self) where did owner... What’s that rustling in the bushes! its a squirrell! NO! No I have to find owner my life depends on it. (mumbling) Wait does my life actually depend on this do I actually need to find him? (Now loud) Yes! Yes I do, I mean what would I do without him? What would he do without me! Who would he go to the park with? Who would he rub while watching TV? Ooh another squirrel! I must catch it! I can bring it to owner to show him what a good boy I am. (Now talking to dead squirrel he is carrying) Owner will be so happy when he sees that I brought you to him, and He won’t be worried about where I am anymore. He will be so happy to see me! He must be worried sick right now!

Hmm. It’s getting dark I wonder how much farther it is squirrel. Do you think he is looking for me? I am getting kind of tired and hungry. Maybe I should stop, and sleep here for the night. I can keep looking for owner in the morning. No, I must keep looking. I have to be close now! (long pause) Where is he?!? I have been walking for hours. What... What if he didn’t want me to find him? What if it was his intention to get rid of me. I think he did! I think he wanted to get rid of me! What did I do? (sobs) I thought I was always a good dog. Was it, was it because I peed on the carpet yesterday? That wasn’t my fault! He didn’t let me out that morning. Where was I supposed to go? (sobs again) I’m really hungry now. I don’t need him, I can find a new owner! One who doesn’t come home late and one who doesn’t forget to feed me. I’m really hungry now. I think I’m just going to eat you, squirrel.

I have been playing football since I was little. My mama got me into playing football. Now that I think of it, football changed my life. I don’t know where I would be if I didn’t have football. Football turned me into who I am now. Going into high school, I made Varsity as a runner-back because that was the position I usually played. I made a lot of friends and I was popular. There wasn’t much to complain about. My dad wasn’t around for much of my life, so it was only me and my mama. Let me tell you about my mama -- she is a hard working lady, but even though she was busy she ain’t never miss one of my football games. She always supported me no matter what.

My team was down by 5 points and all we need was a touchdown. We only had 1 minute left in the game and we were on ‘Offense.’ Quarterback said he was going to throw it deep to anyone who was open. I told him “Quit, that bullshit, man, let me run it, I got this- just block.” He said “Okay.”  As I heard the ‘HIKE!’ I ran toward him and got the ball, I followed my teammates then ran off. I broke two tackles-got hit badly-but I caught my balance and then did my signature spin move to the left and ran to the endzone. While I was running to the goal, I felt like I was slowing down but I pushed through. After getting the touchdown, my chest was hurting and my lungs felt like they were about to collapse. I couldn't breathe. I pushed through the pain because I knew I was better than that. But man it felt good to win. Everyone cheered. That had to be my best game in the whole season. Coach told me that there were scouters in the stands watching me play and they said I had some talent. Coach said to me personally after the game, “You got some talent kid. You might be able to play pro-football.”

Yo, that was the best news I ever heard, man. I walked to the locker room to go shower and messed with some of the guys, making some jokes with them. I got to my locker and I fainted.

I woke up in a hospital room and then my mama came into the room screaming and kissing me. I told her, “Chill out ma, I’m fine.” The doctor came into the room and I asked him “What happen to me, Doc?”  He told me when I got hit the impact was really hard on my head and I got a really bad concussion and some brain trauma. Also he told me he found something else about me. He said I had a tumor between my heart and my lungs. I asked him if is there any way to remove it and he said no. I asked him, “Doc, can I still play in the championship game next week?” He said to me, “I wouldn't recommend it-- you could get seriously injured or die. You still can live your life. Your football career might be over.”

I turned to my mama and asked her, “Ma, what do you think I should do?” “You can have a future ahead of you or you can continue to play football. Just know that you might be giving up your life if you choose to play football.”

Do you know what it’s like to hear that your football career is over? I didn’t know what to do. Football makes me who I am. Because of the momentum-- without football, what would I be waking up for everyday? I look forward to waking up every day knowing that I will be out on that field strengthening and supporting my team. I don’t want to give up on my team just like that. I didn’t know what to do….

Adowa Mohamed

The Bridge

(Talks towards the sky standing on a bridge)Dear God,

I am at the point where I just wanna go, life isn’t the way I had expected. People are always  talking bout “Oh its okay, it'll get better. Just wait and see. But I’m done waiting. Done looking and see what the future might have in store for me. I wanna go and I wanna go now I don’t know what to do. I just hate my life and everything about it. I feel like the world’s better off without me. Im better of being dead, no one wants me around anyways.

WHERE ARE YOU?

You said you’d always be here for me... but you’re not. *Sigh* Would anyone even notice? Probably not. God, if you’re out there, I’m tired, tired of being used and hated. I don't belong here. I don’t belong anywhere. I just can't stop thinking about how better off peoples lives would be without me. I mean, no one would care. Where are they, huh? The people who said they’d always be there for me... well they’re not and probably never will be. Okay. Continuing with life just isn’t worth it anymore. People don’t want me. Especially Alexis. “shakes head” *sigh* Oh how that girl would always think she was better than anyone. Always pushing me around.

(Looks to either side)WHY DON’T YOU PUSH ME NOW, HUH? PUSH ME OFF THIS DUMB BRIDGE, MIGHT AS WELL, YOU COLD HEARTED, BITCH. Always making me feel unwanted like I didn’t get enough of that already at home. You lied just like everyone else in my life. Telling me you’d always be there for me, and leave when I need you the most. You were my only friend, my best friend, and I trusted you.

(Turns back to God) God, I told that girl all my secrets and she turned them, every single last one of them into a joke. Said things like, “Ha Thats why yo daddy ain’t love you nor yo mama and left y’all in that house to die.” God, where is daddy.

You left me with mom and told me you’d be back. Told me you needed time alone. I don’t know why I believed you. You lied to me just like the rest of you people. How could you just walk out my life like that. *Sobs*

City- synonym for cesspool.

These are my people and their stories,

Stories I helped them write.

A Truth.

They own nothing.

They want everything.

No one knows who we really are.

They don’t have pretty plastic dreams manufactured by their parents.

Searching for love, but then turning to drugs.

A Romance.

Empty Lots full of booze cans and empty prescription bottles.

No pretty green fields filled with roses and marigolds.

Makeout sessions that come in the flavors of Cigarettes and Jack Daniels

Going further than that one sweet suburbanite kiss on the Gymnasium dance floor.

Prowling the malls for free chinese food samples.

No home cooked family meals with Mom and Dad meeting the boyfriend.

A Prince.

Drive thru drug deals at Johnny Rockets.

Buying diapers with coke money.

Coping jars of baby food from K-Mart after school.

All for the baby, the mistake.

The one she helped him make.

Because city thugs dont use condoms- 13 or otherwise.

A Princess.

Three story house instead of a castle.

Two angry cats instead of friendly birds and deer.

No evil stepmother, No dead father, No siblings.

Instead of sudsy water filled pails, There is a red Pep-Boys bucket full of empty Pall Mall packs.

A Break Up.

Broken pieces of glass showering across the asphalt.

Like pretty pink cherry blossom petals.

But RED.

He cheated, so she swung,

no death...just 17 stitches and a nasty scar.

Let us be true here my friends, I do not turn out all evil.

I was built- and named after mind you- Brotherly Love.

I am not as bad as congress and politics would like you to believe.

A City Couple.

Walking in love park

A white sun dress for her and a black polo for him

strolling along.

The sit at the fountain, and he pulls out the ring.

Two hours later they are standing in line at city hall.

Four other couples as their witnesses.

No family for miles.

City Newlyweds.

No money for a honeymoon,

but enough time off at work for a five day weekend,

cooking and cleaning together.

Sitting and watching American Horror Story.

Living the life.

A City Mother.

She worries, the stress of work weighing down on her.

Can’t lose the baby.

After he is born she knows-

she will love and protect him.

A City Father.

He worries about her, and the little one.

While she was in labor he almost passed out.

It was so unsanitary.

But know he knows...

He will love and protect them.

The Babies,

One Tiny and clean and full of potential.

One born of lies and infidelity, still full of potential

Then I have to decide, I have a choice to make.

Will I ruin them, or will I build him up to all they can be?

In a way I am the most human city there is, with my possessiveness,

and indecisiveness. With my whimsical ways and last minute decisions.

This my fellow nations, cities, and towns is what I ask you.

What will we decide with our citizens?

Will we be saviuors, or the shepherds of the Damned?

Felix d’Hermillon

English Monologue

What happened? *Try to lift up hands but they are handcuffed to the bed.

Where am I? I think I’m in a hospital. I have no idea who I am and I don’t know how I got here. I’m looking around the room. There’s a tray to the left of his bed which has bloody knives. Tries to sit up

Ugh, my leg.

There’s a nurse. Hey! Where am I? What’s my name?

Hospital? What hospital?...What do you mean, John doe?

Why am I handcuffed to the bed?

The Police?! Lifts knees up to his face while obviously fighting through pain.

What happened to me, what’s wrong with me? Why am I here?  He yells with his face still in his knees. No response.

He is so frightened he passes out.

Unngh... Wakes up in throbbing pain. Grunting faintly. Lifts his head slightly to see if anybody is there.

Ugh… His leg is completely slashed. He starts screaming and panicking.

AAAHHH!! UUNNNGHHH!!

He realizes he’s not able to walk on it and he starts panicking. There is blood dripping down his leg.

Hello?!?! Yelling frantically.  

What’s that on the floor? Blood? From what? Looks down at hands, the handcuffs are gone. The handcuffs are sitting in the puddle of blood.

What the… Moaning? Recognizes that the moaning is not far from here.

Hello? Is anybody there. No response.

Hello!!! Still no response.

Where is everybody? Yelling furiously.

“God, please help me out here.” Tears filling his eyes

What happened here? What am I supposed to do?!”

Takes a deep breath and is in shock.

Amber! Oh No please no, let her be ok!

Amber was there. I have to get back to her. Oh no. Whimpering. No don’t let anything happen to my baby girl. Don’t let anything happen to me! She has nobody else to go to.

Stay strong John, you have to stay strong John! You have to get back to Amber!

A cell phone rings next to his bed, how could he have missed that.

How did I miss that? He yells in anger, furious with himself. He pauses, not sure wether he should answer it. He answer’s it after 4 rings.

Hello? he answers.

I need help. Please I don’t know where I... he gets cut off.

Tell me this is some sort of sick joke. He replies with a crack in his voice.

How long until the poison kicks in...? 15 minutes? cracking voice.

Okay Jane. You’re it!

Nooo! I’ll get ya! Oh! Tag! You’re it!

Not for long!

Heeheehee! Oh Katie you made me fall! *giggling*

I didn’t mean too Jane. You know I would never hurt you.

I know Katie, it’s okay, my tushy is just a little ow-y. *giggles* Do you want to play again?

Well I think our parents are worried.

Well I’m okay. It’s okay. Do you want to do tea party instead? We can go in the treehouse!

See them? In the kitchen window?

I’ll go get the tea cups!

Mommy and daddy are looking at us funny.

I’ll get the pink cups, they’re in the sandbox.

Look at them.

It’s okay Katie! I’m just playing in the yard!

I don’t think they understand, Jane.

We were just playing! I’m not hurt or anything!

But who were you playing tag with Jane? Who are the tea cups for?

C’mon Katie. It’s tea time. Tea for two!

Look at our parent’s Jane. They don’t know who I am. They don’t know us at all.

I don’t think so Katie. Are you-are you sure? They do look a little sad...
They’re stupid grown-ups. They don’t care about us Jane. We’re just another thing to worry about.

No no no. Mommy and daddy are nice! They love me very much. Maybe they feel left out! Maybe they want tea!

You know that isn’t true. You just don’t want to know.

No no no they are nice! I know they’re nice!

Then why are mommy and daddy looking at us funny? Why do they never play with us? They never want to have a tea party, or play tag, or hide and seek. You hear them talking at night sometimes. You know they don’t think I’m here.

But.. but you’re my best friend Katie.

Yes Jane. I am your only friend. I am always here for you. Is mommy here for you? Is daddy here for you? Look. Now they’re not even at the window anymore.

Why.. where did my mommy and daddy go?

They left the house. They’re talking about how messed up you are. They’re finding you a new mommy and daddy. They left you. All alone Jane. You’re always all alone.

But I’m with you.

Mommy and daddy don’t think so.

No.. Katie.. I like my mommy and daddy.

No, you don’t. We hate them. They never loved us.

No no no! Go away Katie! Mommy and daddy were right! You are bad. Bad bad bad. *covers ears*

Your mommy is wrong Jane.

No!

Your daddy is wrong.

No.. be quiet.. no..

They live in a stupid grown-up world with stupid grown-up thoughts.

Katie…

Do you remember this morning? When daddy hit you and called you stupid when you told her about me?

I don’t remember that Katie… that.. that didn’t happen… daddy would never do that.. daddy loves me..

Remember last week Jane? When mommy yelled at you for singing me to sleep after bedtime?

No no no… I... Mommy never yells.. she couldn’t..

They don’t love you Jane. They don’t love us. Do you want to live with people like that?

No.. I… Katie..

Show them what I mean to you.

I don’t want to do that! I told you! I told you! No!

Find mommy’s new kitty. The one she always feeds before she makes us breakfast. The one that always gets brushed before our hair is brushed. The one mommy always says I love you to.

No. Not the kitty. No no no.

Do you like her more than me Jane?

No.. I mean… no-Katie I can’t do that!

Of course you can do it Jane. I’m here, I’ll help you. Just take one step forward.

No! No no no. I can’t I can’t I can’t. The kitty never hurt me, mommy and daddy never hurt me.. it’s-it’s not right.

Everyone is hurting us. No one see us. No one hears us. This will make them understand. You’ll see.. you’ll see.

Why?

Just get up Jane. Off the ground. All you need to do it walk -

NO!

YES!

STOP!

Just go.

AHHHHHH! Mommy?! Daddy!?

No!

Help! Help… *Jane starts to sob*

Help…

*Jane curls up on the ground and cries until found by her parents*

Everything will be okay Katie.

Ameer Forte            One Hundred Dollars

One hundred bucks is crazy money in my book, and on this very day last summer my mom had gave me a one hundred dollar bill for my 8th grade graduation. I’m in tenth grade now but I still remember doing everything with that dollar. It felt like I had that thing for forever too, I mean like I said I did everything with it, took it camping, to the beach, to the pool, to the park. This all of course was stupid, my mom did always tell me “keep it home Ameer, thats a lot of money.”

Yeah yeah I know it was a lot of money, but what good was one hundred bucks if I just had to leave it home all the time. I mean i’m not an idiot, I knew better than to go around showing it off like some 1st place trophy, I just wanted to, you know hold it in my wallet and feel that rich feeling of “I got one hundred dollars in my pocket”. So, over the summer I had taken it everywhere, to work, to the park, to grandma’s, I figured I had nothing to worry about except if someone would’ve mugged me or something but I had that covered. Every day I carried a three inch pocket blade in my sock and I swore if anyone stepped to me funny they would have a three inch deep slit in there eyeball. Fortunately that was never necessary, but when school started back up I became a paranoid animal.

I remember the first day of Highschool like it was yesterday. My best friend Tony, who had knew about the hundred dollars when I got it, met me at my house. School was like a block or two away so we just walked that day. I remember him saying something like, “Yo dogg it’s the first day of highschool. Ya mean playa, this day decides who's who and what's what, is you hype or naw.” And in my mind I’m just wondering why he sounds like a popular rap song from 2002. No I wasn’t hype, I was more anxious than anything. Plus there was a lot going through my mind that morning, like which pocket would be the safest to hold my wallet that was definitely more important to me than the stupid first day of school. I responded anyway though.

“No, I’m not hype. Why should I be it’s just the first day of school, and stop talking like that, you sound like Snoop Dogg.” After I said that he just talked even weirder to get on my nerves, I just remember ignoring him until he asked,

“Yo, you heard that?” I hadn’t heard anything except his big mouth that whole walk so I don’t know how he thought I could’ve heard anything else. I asked him what he was talking about, instinctively checked my back left pocket to see if my wallet was still there and, it wasn’t.

“Shit. Are you kidding me! Yo dude did you see a little black wallet anywhere around here while we been walking?”

“Nah man, don’t tell me you dropped it.”

Yup I had dropped it, and boy was I pissed. I texted my mom telling her I lost my wallet and she gave me the normal that’s what you get, I’m very disappointed crap. Whatever, I had just lost one hundred bucks I didn’t freakin’ care how disappointed she was. I just went to school mad. I went to class mad. I ate lunch mad, I even remember punching this short stubby fat kid with no shoulders in the mouth because he wouldn’t stop saying “Hotdogs”. And man do I feel bad about that, but were all good now I think I eventually bought him a hotdog or something. My mom had to come me up from school but didn’t seem all that upset during the ride I guess it was because she had an excuse to leave work early but that didn’t stop her from putting me on a three month punishment when we got home. So I sat there in my room just staring at the walls and I spotted a little green strip with 100 on the corners and I’m pretty sure the last thing I said that day was, “You’ve got to be kidding me!”.